What It Takes to Start Over From Scratch

What It Takes to Start Over From Scratch

What does it really take to start over from scratch? In this episode, Fer shares what it was like leaving Venezuela, unexpectedly building a new life in the U.S., and rebuilding his career in New York after arriving with no clear plan. We talk about starting over in a new country, rebuilding confidence, creating community, and the mindset it takes to keep moving forward when everything familiar is gone. A conversation about reinvention, resilience, identity, belonging, and building a new sense of home.

Why Being A Chameleon Is A Superpower

What if the parts of yourself that make you different are actually your greatest strength?Growing up between cultures can leave you feeling like you don’t fit neatly into any one box. But it can also teach you something valuable: how to adapt, connect, and feel at home in very different environments.In this conversation, Aisha reflects on identity, belonging, relationships, and why she sees being a “chameleon” not as a weakness, but as a superpower.We discuss:• Adapting to different environments• Identity beyond labels• The assumptions people make about us• Relationships across different backgrounds• Growing up between cultures• Finding confidence in who you areThis episode is for anyone who has ever felt different, struggled to fit into expectations, or discovered that their uniqueness might be their greatest strength.

Trailer | Somewhere Unfamiliar

Somewhere Unfamiliar is a podcast about moving, identity, belonging, and what it really feels like to build a home in a new place. Through personal stories and honest conversations, it explores the excitement, the loneliness, and everything in between that comes with starting over.

Growing Up Across Countries Without Belonging

When you grow up moving between countries, you don’t just change places...you start questioning where you belong. What does that do to your identity over time? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Eimad Houry, someone I’ve known and looked up to for many years. He grew up moving across countries and continents from a very young age and spent much of his life as a study abroad student himself. That experience shaped his career and led him to spend decades at Mercer University building study abroad and international affairs programs that had a lasting impact on students and how they saw the world. This conversation goes beyond the idea of study abroad as just an experience. It’s less about where you go, and more about what those experiences do to you over time. We talk about the parts people don’t always mention, including the loneliness, the adjustment, and what it takes to build real connections, and how these experiences continue to shape identity and decisions long after. Resources: How Studying Abroad Changed My Life [https://www.amazon.com/How-Studying-Abroad-Changed-Life/dp/0881469661]by Eimad Houry & Chinekwu Obidoa⁠⁠

What If There’s A Bigger Life Waiting For You?

What happens when you stop living the life that’s expected of you and start building the life you actually want?Big changes are exciting. They’re also uncomfortable, uncertain, and often lonelier than we expect.In this conversation, Laura reflects on what it means to take a chance on yourself, embrace uncertainty, and create a life that feels more aligned with who you are.We discuss:• Following the life you’ve always imagined• The courage to start over• Building friendships and community from scratch• Why going home can feel different after you’ve left• Reinventing yourself in a new environment• Creating a life on your own termsThis episode is for anyone standing at a crossroads, wondering whether to play it safe or take a chance on something bigger.